Warriors Owner Asked 1 Condition From Draymond Green After Signing New Deal

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Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Warriors of the Golden State owner Joe Lacob request Green Draymond a special condition after the veteran forward re-signed to a four-year, $100 million contract during the offseason, ESPN reported on March 18.

“Joe said, ‘I know you’re going to act and direct and all that, but I need one more thing.'” Green told ESPN. “He said, ‘I need you to take [Jonathan Kuminga] under your wing. I said, ‘You have my word… For me, it was a condition of the contract.’

Green, whose punch was delivered to a former member of the Warriors’ young core, Jordan Poole, who strained their chemistry last season, atones for that mistake by mentoring Kuminga this season. The 34-year-old forward has made a concerted effort to get closer to Kuminga, who is 13 years younger.

After all, Green was one of Kuminga’s most vocal supporters during the 2021 NBA Draft, according to the ESPN report.

Kuminga flew onto Green’s radar when former Warriors guard Jarrett Jack, Kuminga’s teammate in the G League Ignite, told Green to keep an eye on the raw but athletically gifted young prospect.

“He’s one of the reasons I ended up here,” Kuminga told ESPN of Green. “Before recruiting me, he called [former Warriors general manager] Bob [Myers] and told him to bring me here. I think it’s one of the greatest things that has ever happened.

“No one can stop” Jonathan Kuminga

After Kuminga, 21, scored 12 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter in their 119-107 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. 119-107 On January 30, after ending a two-game skid at home, Green made a bold statement about himself.

“The way he attacks the basket, I don’t think anyone can stop him from getting to his spot,” Green said of Kuminga. “So sometimes I kind of talk to him like you took a three and that’s fine, I don’t mind you taking a three, but can anyone stop you from going where you want to go ? You just have to challenge him and then build trust. So he knows that no matter how it goes, we trust him and we support him.

It was Kuminga’s seventh straight 20-point game, part of a career-best 8th straight game that began when Green was serving his second suspension of the season for punching Phoenix’s Jusuf Nurkic in the face.

It turned out that Green’s suspension was a blessing in disguise as the Warriors’ coach. Steve Kerr was forced to start Kuminga in his absence.

Kerr was reluctant to give Kuminga the keys to the Warriors’ future, which created friction that became the subject of controversy. The Athletic report on January 5, the young player lost confidence in the four-time champion coach.

Kerr and Kuminga fixed things. Since then, the coach has put more faith in his young striker.

Jonathan Kuminga seizes the opportunity

Kuminga seized the opportunity and has since solidified his place in the starting lineup and often appears as the Warriors’ second-best player behind the superstar. Stephen Curry.

Since Jan. 14, just after the NBA suspended Green for the second time this season, Kuminga started and never looked back.

Since then, in 43 games, Kuminga has averaged 18.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 55 percent from the field. He is plus-76 on this 43-game streak heading into Monday’s game against the short-handed New York Knicks.

Alder Almo is a basketball reporter who covers the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors for Heavy. He has over 15 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is originally from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. Learn more about Alder Almo